Dunglass Collegiate Church facts for kids
Dunglass Collegiate Church is an old and important church located in south-east East Lothian, Scotland. It's about a mile north of a village called Cockburnspath. This special building is protected as a scheduled monument, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
How the Church Started
We don't know the exact year the chapel, dedicated to St. Mary of Dunglass, was built. But we know it was already there in 1421. That's when Sir Alexander Home was given the lands of Dunglass. The chapel was right next to Dunglass Castle, which isn't there anymore.
In 1423, Sir Alexander Home decided to hire priests to pray for his family. This group of priests was called a "college." Because of this, the chapel became a collegiate church. This special status was confirmed by King James II in 1450 and also by Pope Nicholas V. The church's "college" included a leader (called a provost), three chaplains (priests), and four boy singers.
In 1500, another important person, George Home, gave money to support a chaplain. This chaplain would sing at an altar in the church called "Our Lady of Pity." At first, the church had a main hall (nave), a choir area, and a special burial place for the Home family. Later, in the 1500s, extra parts called transepts were added, along with a new tower.
Challenges and Changes
In 1544, the church and castle faced an attack. An army led by the Earl of Hertford tried to take them over during a time of wars known as the Rough Wooing. But the local people fought back and managed to protect their church and castle!
However, in 1560, big changes came to Scotland with the Scottish Reformation. This was a time when Scotland changed its main religion from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism. Because of this, Dunglass Collegiate Church closed down. In 1563, the Scottish Parliament passed a law that ended Catholic mass forever. So, the church stopped being a Roman Catholic chapel.
In the early days, a hospital was built nearby. It was a place to help sick people and was dedicated to St. Mary and John the Baptist. The church building itself is made of smooth sandstone blocks and has a roof of stone slabs. The tower, however, no longer has a roof.
What Happened Next?
After the Reformation, Dunglass Church was still used as a local parish church for a while. But in the 1700s, it was sold to a farmer. Sadly, the church was not treated with respect during this time. The farmer even bulldozed the east window to make space for his vehicles! The church, including the family burial area, was used as a barn for farm animals and storage.
In 1807, things started to get better. Sir John Hall bought the Dunglass estate. His family later used the south transept of the church as their own burial place, bringing back some dignity to the old building. In 1919, the Usher family bought the estate.
Dunglass Today
Today, Dunglass Church is looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. It's in a beautiful spot, surrounded by neat green lawns and thick woods. You can also see an interesting sundial standing on a small hill next to the ancient building. Dunglass Collegiate Church is now one of the most popular places to visit in East Lothian.
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